"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt." ~
commonly attributed to Abraham LincolnArmitstead's comments, whilst spectacularly ill-judged, are consistent with those from many of the younger UK cyclists when the USADA reasoned decision on Lance Armstrong was published.
"Cycling had/has a doping problem? La la la, I'm not listening..."
To be charitable, they are probably in such a racing and training bubble that they don't get the broader perspective on the sport's historical problems, and the shadow they still cast, compared with those of us who have the time and inclination to read up on the subject. The wider ramifications of the Lance Armstrong affair show why we can't just draw a line under a given year and say "Huzzah! Cycling is squeaky-clean now." Every time a cyclist avers that cycling is clean and that Armstrong
et al are not their problem, it just gives more ammo to the Cycling News Clinic f***heads and the Twitter Taliban, and reinforces the impression that they have their head where the sun doesn't shine.
What's particularly sad about Armitstead putting her pedal extremity in her mouth is that both she and Cooke are on the same page when it comes to the UCI's neglect of women's cycle sport.